First Impressions ofFar Cry 5

by Robert Wery

Earlier this year, Ubisoft graced our offices to give us and our friends a hands-on demo of Far Cry 5 ahead of launch. Dropping into the game's exciting new location in the U.S., Hope County, Montana, was a helluva ride and hit close to home for some of us.

"It's literally like my backyard. I grew up in the middle of nowhere of the country, I've seen all these things, I've heard people talk like this," Zac at Hyper RPG said, after encountering some of the local faire which appeared dystopian in many ways. He added, "you get out into the sticks in this country and that's not fantasy."

"That kind of character building is insane to me, I love that!" - A_JAXX

We're used to seeing exotic locations and conflicts as the setting for previous Far Cry games, so venturing into rural Montana and interacting with a world and characters we could relate to was a dramatic experience.

Our friend and CORSAIR Streamer, A_Jaxx, thought he was embarking on a quick and easy side mission into the woods, but it quickly turned into one of his most memorable experiences when the NPC opened up about her brutal past.

"You feel for them, you feel like it's a serious deal even though it's just a side mission and it feels like it's the main plot to the story and that kind of character building is insane to me, I love that," A_Jaxx said.

Beyond the compelling characters, rich atmosphere and open world we're used to seeing in the series, Far Cry 5 comes with many visual improvements. This is apparent right from the start, as many interactions with characters quickly become intimate in a way some games are afraid to approach.

"Usually that uncanny valley is always in the eyes first, and it was almost like they were bragging, because they got right up in your face at the beginning," Zac said.

Thankfully, despite the game's heavy tone that many can connect with, Far Cry isn't afraid to cut loose and embrace the chaotic fun that the series is known for.

"You're in this serene environment, and then suddenly you start a mission where you're on ATVs where everything turns red, white and blue, you're doing these massive jumps with electric guitar music playing, there's fireworks, and it's America over and over and over again," Sevadus, CEO of N3RDFUSION, said.

For us at CORSAIR, we decided to create a new way for players to fully immerse themselves in this game. Throughout the dramatic world of Far Cry 5, and through the cut-loose excitement of an open world the series is used to, we saw the perfect opportunity to bring our new SDK powered by iCUE into play.

"When you get caught, the keyboard has a red alert light. Every single time it caught me, I kept looking for that, that was really nice," A_Jaxx said.

Whether you're exploring, being spotted by enemies, fighting for your life, fishing, or just watching the world go by, your entire CORSAIR setup will reflect the actions in game.

As Zac took actions in game, all of his CORSAIR peripherals and all the RGB components in his PC reacted with the power of iCUE. Lighting up in bright orange flames when he was caught on fire, switching to a tranquil aquatic pattern as he swam and reacting to every man, beast or hazzard that threatened his life.

"That was the first time it really clicked for me that this is all connected," Zac said.

We're excited for everyone to jump into the world of Far Cry 5 and experience everything our SDK has to offer. To celebrate our partnership with Ubisoft, for a limited time when you spend $150 or more on the CORSAIR webstore and include an RGB product in your purchase, you'll receive a free PC digital copy of Far Cry 5*